How to Deadhead Foxgloves

by Joshua Duvauchelle

Foxgloves produce showy spikes of blossoms.

The foxglove plant (Digitalis purpurea) originally hails from Europe. Today, gardeners prize it for its 2- to 5-foot-tall flower spikes and grow it throughout U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. Deadheading --cutting off spent, wilted flower spikes -- encourages your foxgloves to produce more flowers and also helps stop the spread of seeds.

1

Combine 3 cups of tap water with 1 cup of household bleach and mix it with a non-metal spoon in a plastic container or bucket.

2

Place your handheld pruning shears or garden clippers blade-first into the bleach-and-water solution and let your pruning shears soak for five minutes. This sterilizes the shears and helps prevent the spread of various plant diseases while you're cutting your foxglove plant.

3

Remove the pruning shears and rinse them under running tap water for a couple minutes, then pat dry with a towel.

4

Observe the length of your foxglove plant's flower spike. It is ready for deadheading once 75 percent of the flowers on the spike have faded or wilted.

5

Grasp the foxglove plant's flower spike a couple of inches above the base of the flower spike with your non-dominant hand. With your dominant hand holding your pruning shears or clippers, cut the spike off at its base where the base meets the foliage.

6

Discard the flower spike, or chop it up further with your pruning shears and add it to your compost pile.

Things You Will Need

Plastic bucket or container

Household bleach

Non-metal spoon

Handheld pruning shears or clippers

Towel

Tip

Foxgloves spread by seed. Leave one or two flower spikes on your plant without deadheading the spikes if you want your foxglove plant to spread naturally in your wildflower garden.

Warning

Foxgloves are poisonous if eaten. Keep the plant out of the reach of small children or pets.

About the Author

Joshua Duvauchelle is an editor, health journalist and certified personal trainer. His work has appeared in various national and international magazines, including diet tips in "Alive" health magazine and relationship advice in "The Health Journal." When he's not writing, Duvauchelle enjoys hot yoga and running.

Photo Credits

Have Feedback?

Thank you for providing feedback to our Editorial staff on this article. Please fill in the following information so we can alert the Home Guides editorial team about a factual or typographical error in this story. All Fields are required.